Death goes to the Movies
by wajag
Summary: Methos works on a movie set, what trouble could he possibly get into there? language and sexual innuendo


Disclaimer: Highlander & Pretender characters don't belong to me and guess what, no money is exchanging hands. Check them out in the reruns... The other characters are extensions of my warped personality. I freely drop in characters I have used in earlier fan fics. (Check them out on fanfiction under wajag)  
  
Methos is also known as Adam Pierson & Adam Wolfe. As Adam Pierson he'd been masquerading as a Watcher until it slipped out that he was Immortal. He managed to convince the Watchers that he was a new Immortal and made a life (however brief) as a Professor of Ancient Studies at the University of Seacouver. His friend Joe Dawson, let it slip that he wasn't a new Immortal but in fact the elusive and mythical Immortal Methos. Angry, Methos had disappeared. After several adventures, he is back in Seacouver and going by his Adam Pierson persona again.  
  
Cliff Hansen- director of Conqueror's Quest  
Roger Valentine- stage name for Action movie star of Conqueror's Quest  
Lynette Lansing- leading lady of Conqueror's Quest  
Laurie Greene- Roger's personal assistant, was Adam Pierson's secretary at Univ. of Seacouver  
Tina Prescott - Duncan MacLeod's rookie Watcher  
Charles Auckland - devious older immortal  
  
Methos reported for work at seven in the morning. His friend and former college buddy, Cliff Hansen was the director of an action movie called Conqueror's Quest. Cliff had been a media student in Paris when 'Adam Pierson' had been working on the most recent of his degrees. Cliff had run into Adam a few months ago while he was traveling. Adam had told him he was on sabbatical from his job as Professor of Ancient Studies at Seacouver University. Cliff had quickly asked (okay begged and pleaded) for Adam to come and work on a movie he was directing. He wanted to be as authentic as possible and knew that Adam would be perfect for the job.  
  
Bored and not ready to take a real job, Methos had agreed. He'd returned to Seacouver and settled back into his old life as Adam Pierson, with a few conditions of the Watchers. He insisted he not be assigned a Watcher of his own (Joe Dawson or Duncan MacLeod would know what he was up to) and the Watchers in general shouldn't know he was in town (he'd been able to prove that some Watchers were telling their assignment Immortals who and where he was). Having spent the last four years in hiding and his importance in the Game, the ancient Immortal was able to negotiate his own terms to keep him from disappearing again. (Little did they know that he was ready to come back...gotta keep them knowing who was boss!)  
  
Methos wandered around the lot looking for his friend Cliff Hansen. He found him at the food service wagon, a converted Winnebago. Methos wandered in and helped himself to coffee and a pastry. Cliff was on his cell phone and tossed a script to Adam. Adam sprawled on the Winnebago couch and flipped through the script while he ate his breakfast. Cliff hung up the phone and grabbed a coffee. He sat on the chair next to where Adam sprawled.  
  
"I'm glad you're here Adam. I'm really excited about this movie. This is going to be great! Read over the script and give me your mark ups tomorrow. Let me know what the obvious flaws in the story and dialog are. Oh and make a list of what kind of costumes and props we'll need. We have the cast coming in Wednesday to do some script walkthroughs. We'll start creating the sets next week and be filming the week after. The Sword Master and Wrangler will be in with the cast on Wednesday. You can talk to them then."  
  
Adam nodded. "Do you have an office or a place that I can drop this when I'm done?" He asked indicating the script.  
  
My trailer is next to this one, it's marked with an 'A'. Roger Valentine has 'B' trailer; Lynette Lansing's is 'C'. Everyone else will be sharing 'D'. Let me know if you need anything. "Thanks Adam, this is really going to help me out." Cliff smiled as he stood and left the Winnebago.  
  
Adam grunted at Cliff as he left and started to read the script. By lunch he had it marked up. He pulled out his laptop and was working on a list of props and costumes when the Winnebago door opened. An attractive, petite blonde walked into the RV and looked around.   
  
"Have you seen Cliff Hansen?" She asked in a southern accent.  
  
Smiling, Adam said, "Not since early this morning. You might check trailer 'A', he said that one was his."  
  
"Thank you, I'm Lynette Lansing by the way. You are?"  
  
"Adam Pierson." He stood to shake her hand but she fiddled with her hair letting him know that he didn't rate a handshake. He raised an eyebrow and leaned against the counter.   
  
He grinned as she turned and left the trailer with a toss of her hair. I guess she doesn't know I get to design her costume he thought to himself. A corset is in order for that one he chuckled, a really stiff corset.  
  
*******  
For the next few days, Adam and Cliff met and discussed the changes they needed to make. When it was clear that Cliff needed someone to keep him organized and on schedule, Methos recommended his former secretary at the University of Seacouver. He knew that she was off for the summer while most of the History department was on break. With Cliff's approval, Methos called up Laurie Greene and offered her the job.  
  
Laurie was excited to be working with Adam again. He had been her favorite professor. She was surprised that he would be doing something as frivolous as a movie with his education and background. But once she saw him in action she was amazed. He was able to translate his knowledge of culture into dialog, costumes and props. She was having so much fun and getting paid for it!  
  
A week later, Adam was sprawled in a chair watching the cast try and out ego each other. It was amusing to watch these 'celebrities' in action, big kids was more like it! The weapons master irritated him the most though. The man kept insisting the sword scenes would carry the movie and he had to have absolute control or the movie would be a total failure. He watched as the pompous man strutted around with his sword strapped to his side. He frequently took it out and waved it around in a mediocre kata that looked flashy but wasn't skillful or difficult.  
  
Reminding himself that Hollywood wanted flash and not authenticity, he kept his thoughts to himself.  
  
When the day arrived to do a walk-through of the first scene to be filmed, Methos had to repeatedly bite his tongue.  
  
The sword master demonstrated the sword movements too fast for the Stuntmen to mimic and several times he came close to hitting them when they worked together. Methos stood next to Cliff and tried to distance himself by putting himself in Cliff's eyes as the director. When the sword master made a sloppy move and injured one of the Stuntmen, Methos spoke up.  
  
"That man's an imbecile! He doesn't know what he's doing."  
  
Cliff looked at him in confusion. "He came highly recommended and he's worked on several action movies."  
  
"And probably injured several stars and Stuntmen doing it!"  
  
"Well, swords are dangerous, there will always be accidents..."  
  
"Not if you know what the hell you're doing."  
  
The sword master overheard the last comment and glaring at Methos he challenged, "A book worm is telling me about sword fighting? Care to pick up a sword and display your ignorance for the world to see?"  
  
The grin that appeared on Methos face should have alerted him to possible danger. The sword master was overly confident in his abilities. Methos walked to the injured Stuntman and took his offered sword.  
  
Methos did a few wrist rotations to test the weight and balance of the prop and stepping up to the man, assumed an attack position. He let the sword master make the first move. He defended against the first few strikes to assess the man's strengths and weakness. It only took a few parries to take his measure. The cast and crew quickly gathered to watch this pompous sword master and the friendly researcher duel.   
  
Methos snorted, even a youngling Immortal would have easily bested this sword master. It became obvious to everyone watching that the sword master was sadly outmatched. Methos began slowly and methodically attacking and humiliating him. When he'd been repeatedly disarmed and his rear end smacked with the flat of Methos sword, the sword master finally had enough.   
  
Shouting in anger, he picked up his fallen sword and stomped off the set with a belligerent "I quit!"  
  
Adam bowed graciously when the cast vigorously applauded him.  
  
"Good riddance." Laurie said glad that she wouldn't have to be carrying the first aid kit wherever she went.  
  
"Adam! Now what am I suppose to do?" Cliff shouted. When Laurie whispered to him, Cliff smiled.  
  
"That was amazing! I didn't know you could do that. You get to be the new sword master!"   
  
"What!" Methos exclaimed.  
  
"Well, you ran off the other one, that leaves you. You can start right now." Cliff folded his arms and gave Methos his 'I'm not giving in' look.  
  
Methos swore under his breath and looked up into the skies as if pleading to the Gods. Looking back over at the resolute director, he beaconed the Stuntmen into a line in front of him. Still cursing under his breath he began his slow and clear instructions. In a short time the Stuntmen were safely moving through the motions. He had them repeat the motions until they were fluid and consistent before he had them face each other. They did a practice walk-through an hour later and Cliff was very pleased with the results.  
  
Patting Adam on the shoulder he exclaimed, "I knew you wouldn't let me down. We'll do a dress rehearsal tomorrow morning and shoot it in the afternoon."  
  
Methos glared at Cliff's departing back.  
  
***************  
They had been shooting for several weeks now. In the mornings Methos was busy with the walk-through sessions with the Stuntmen. They were all quick learners and by the afternoon, were always ready to shoot the scenes. The stars however took more time and patience.  
  
Methos couldn't get Roger to duplicate any of his sword scenes. Roger felt that as the star he could insert a move where it felt 'right' regardless of the injuries. Methos talked to Cliff and working extensively with Roger's stunt double, only put Roger into the close up shots. The stunt double would do the sword fights. Happy with that arrangement, Roger was really only interested in his lines and close-ups. Methos wondered how in the world this twit had gotten a reputation as an Action movie actor.  
  
Lynette was able to hit her marks better. She'd even warmed up to him a little bit after having worn a stiff and uncomfortable corset for a day. Methos offered her a more flattering and comfortable one after she had begged and pleaded for something else. Even if she didn't realize it, she had learned her lesson. She made a point of being friendly to him realizing that her costumes depended upon him.  
  
**************  
It was early afternoon on a Saturday and Methos was sitting in Joe's bar drinking a beer. The bar wasn't open to the public yet so the opening of the door caught his attention. A woman walked in and looked around. As she got closer, he confirmed his suspicions that she was a Watcher when he noticed the tattoo on her wrist.   
  
"Could you tell me where I might find Joe Dawson?" She asked in a smooth and pleasant voice.  
  
"In the office taking a phone call, Watcher business." Methos said nodding towards the office door.  
  
Seeing the office door was closed, the woman sat down beside him. Looking at him closer she asked, "Are you a Watcher too?"  
  
"I used to be, I'm on sabbatical right now." Methos smiled.  
  
There were very few reasons why a Watcher would be on a sabbatical she thought. A family emergency or their Immortal had lost their head. Since he looked pretty relaxed, his Immortal must had died she told herself. "I'm watching Duncan MacLeod right now."  
  
"The Highlander. I thought Joe was MacLeod's Watcher."  
  
"He is, this is my first assignment. Joe is mentoring me right now. My name is Tina Prescott."  
  
"Adam Pierson." Methos said expecting a reaction. She just looked puzzled. "I was the head researcher on the Methos project."  
  
"That's why it sounded familiar. Amy Zoll is leading that one now. I heard he was found a few years ago but disappeared again, bad luck for Dr. Zoll."  
  
"He's elusive like that. How long have you been in the Watchers?" He asked wondering why but still pleased that she hadn't recognized him or his alter ego.  
  
"Less than a year." Leaning closer she confided, "Do they make you nervous?"  
  
His natural suspicion coming to the surface, Methos asked, "No why? Do they make you nervous?"  
  
"Not the Immortals themselves, the Quickening. I saw an Immortal come back to life but that was in a car accident, no Quickening. It just sounds terrifying, all that power unleashed..." She looked at her hands in her lap and shuttered.  
  
"It's a lot worse for the Immortal." Methos said dryly.  
  
"But they don't feel that..."  
  
"What makes you say that?" He said irritated.  
  
"They're Immortals, they die all the time."  
  
"That has nothing to do with it, dying is dying how can it not hurt to die violently?"  
  
"I guess, but they must get used to it."  
  
"What do they teach you field Watchers at that damn academy?" An irritated Methos growled, "Immortals are human. They love, cry, hurt, and feel pain just like everyone else. They just have to go through the agony of death more times because it doesn't kill them unless you take their head."  
  
She looked at him with surprised in her eyes. "I'm sorry, you're right. The death I saw did look painful. Is that what they teach Researchers or are you just wise beyond your years?"  
  
Letting his irritation flow away, Methos chuckled. "I'm very old and wise." (She has no idea how old!)  
  
"Thank you for correcting my misconception." She smiled. "What about the Quickening? Is it true that they get really horny after they take a head?"  
  
Tina jumped in surprise when Joe stepped out of his office. "There you are Tina. I see you've met Adam."  
  
Methos laughed, "What are they teaching the Watchers at the Academy these days Joe?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"All this old wives tale stuff about Immortal deaths not hurting, Quickenings driving Immortals into a mating rut. Oh pleeeeeease!" Methos sneered.  
  
"Well I wouldn't know about the Quickening," Joe said, pointedly looking at Methos, "but all the Immortal deaths I've seen look pretty damn painful."  
  
"At the academy they said the Immortals lust for anything after a Quickening, Male or Female." Tina said and Methos just smirked like he held a great secret.   
  
"You could help me out a little bit here Buddy!" Joe said embarrassed.  
  
"Not a chance, I'm enjoying this too much."  
  
Methos felt an Immortal buzz and looked at the door. Recognizing the buzz as Mac's he picked up his beer. Seconds later, MacLeod walked into the bar.  
  
Tina became flustered when she recognized Mac as he walked in the door. Joe stood and walked to the bar. "What can I get you Mac?"  
  
Methos leaned across the table "Are you one of those Watchers that doesn't like to talk to your assignment?"  
  
She nodded, "Hero worship I think."  
  
"I'll distract him for you. Go ahead and go into Joe's office."  
  
Tina nodded and Methos rose. Walking to Mac's side he spoke quietly to Mac while Tina headed into the office. Joe smiled and followed.  
  
"What was that about?" Mac asked Methos.  
  
"Your rookie watcher. We've been having an interesting conversation. She doesn't recognize Adam Pierson or Methos. She has some real misconceptions about Immortal deaths and Quickenings. I wouldn't take any heads while she's watching."  
  
Mac nodded, confused but willing to take his advice. Changing the subject Mac asked, "How goes the movie?"  
  
"Slowly, that twit Roger can't handle a sword to save his life. Good thing he's not one of us. Want to come out to the set and watch?"  
  
"Oh No, you're not recruiting me to work on that disaster!"   
  
"Who said anything about working? We just need a few Stuntmen that can hold a sword."  
  
****************  
Joe closed the door of his office and gestured for Tina to sit. He sat at his desk and stared at her appraisingly. "Tina I need to know how you feel about Immortals. I can't risk having you out there if you don't want to be there."  
  
"Its rather embarrassing Joe. Duncan MacLeod is easy to admire, he's like a comic book hero to me. The other Immortals are kind of scary. I've only seen the one Immortal die and it was in a car accident. I've never even seen another Immortal or a Quickening. I guess I've been the brunt of a joke if what you and Adam tell me is true."  
  
"Why would we lie?"  
  
"You wouldn't, I'm sorry for implying that. I'm just worried about a Quickening."  
  
"I don't think you need to worry so much about that. Quickenings don't happen very often unless you're following a headhunter. Mac isn't a target for many of those, he's too good."  
  
**********************  
  
Despite his protests, Mac showed up on the movie set the next Monday afternoon. Methos' stories had sparked his curiosity. He had been planning on dropping in with or without Methos' invitation. He noticed Tina following him at a careful distance.  
  
Laurie Greene greeted him when he arrived on the lot. Duncan had met her at the University when Methos had been teaching there. He asked her where Adam was and she pointed to some costumed Stuntmen milling about on horseback. Laurie whispered to Duncan, "He's the one with all the fur. They're getting ready to do the siege of the castle. He gets to fight one-on-one with Roger in the close-ups. Roger keeps hitting the Stuntmen so Adam offered to stand in. He figures he has the best chance of avoiding Roger's wild swings."  
  
Duncan thought to himself that it was more likely that Methos knew he stood the best chance of shaking off the effects of an injury. Smiling, he wanted to hear the ancient cynic explain away the chivalry for this one.  
  
When Methos noticed Duncan talking with Laurie, he galloped his horse up to them. Sliding it to a stop he pulled it up into a rear and let out an ancient war cry. Bringing the horse back down he laughed.  
  
Duncan looked up at him and poker faced said, "Gods! How the hell did I get into one of your flashbacks?"   
  
Methos roared in laughter. "Glad you could make it. Sorry, got to run, time to storm the castle and all that." Spinning the horse, he returned to his army of Stuntmen.  
  
Duncan sat down in a chair that Laurie found for him. Within minutes Cliff was shouting for quiet. When he shouted ACTION, the costumed Immortal stirred up his army. They circled once to get them all together and then galloped across the field headed towards a castle façade. Duncan couldn't see Methos' face but it was easy to pick his furred costume out from the others. Seeing him thundering towards the castle, Duncan could easily imagine Death on a Horse.  
  
When the army reached the castle, the gates opened and another group rode out. After a carefully choreographed battle, Roger's stunt double and Methos clashed together and fell to the ground. The army continued to mock battle so that they could get lots of extra footage to cut and splice together. Then Cliff yelled CUT and everyone froze. The cameras were moved for the close-ups and Cliff walked with a costumed Roger to where Methos and the stunt double stood.  
  
Duncan watched them slowly walk-through the next close up. At one point Roger swung a shield and was quickly stopped by Methos. Methos demonstrated a guarding posture for the shield. There was a short argument with Methos demonstrating that he would be out of position if Roger swung the shield. Roger shrugged his shoulders and they resumed the scene walk-through again. When Roger nodded that he had it, Cliff stepped back and got his crew ready. After Methos nodded, Cliff yelled ACTION.  
  
Methos stepped up into attack mode and Roger deflected his swing, they exchanged several blows in what was suppose to be a frenzied attack. Duncan noticed Roger pulling back his arm to swing the shield just as Methos did. Duncan stood up just as the shield connected with the side of Methos' head. Duncan was running into the battleground before the ancient Immortal hit the ground, out cold.  
  
*********************  
Tina was fascinated by the behind the scenes of a movie. This was definitely one of the perks to being a Watcher, although she realized that Adam had made it easy for her by giving the gate guard her name. She wondered what Duncan MacLeod was doing here though, were he and Adam that good of friends? He seemed to know the woman that brought him the chair but they were both intently watching the actors milling on horseback across the field.  
  
She laughed when she saw who came riding up dressed as a barbarian, shorthaired, conservative Adam Pierson! Then something happened that had Duncan jumping out of his chair and running down into the field. She noticed that someone had fallen and wasn't getting up. A few minutes later when everything had calmed down, she saw the injured man get up. Duncan appeared to touch him, maybe to check and see if he was all right. A few minutes later, the director walked out of the crowd with the injured man. Tina was worried to see that it was Adam.  
  
***********************  
Knocked unconscious, Methos woke up disoriented and alarmed. He was lying on the ground surrounded by the movie crew. What happened? He thought. Did I die? No, I remember now, that twit Roger swung that damn shield again! Methos had told him repeatedly that he needed to keep the shield in. Jumping up, the irate Immortal headed for Roger Valentine with the intent of killing him or at least doing bodily harm. Duncan stepped in front of him and put a hand on his chest. "Adam..." he warned.  
  
Methos glared at a nervous looking Roger and reminded himself that he was Adam Pierson now and this was just a movie.   
  
Cliff ran up having seen the accident. "You okay Adam?"   
  
"No thanks to that twit!" Methos growled.  
  
Putting his arm around Adam's shoulder Cliff led him away from the crowd and tried to diffuse the situation.  
  
Duncan followed as Cliff walked Methos to a golf cart that they got into and drove up the hill. There was a food and drink pavilion set up and Cliff stopped there and got Methos a chair. Duncan pulled up a chair and sat next to the irritated Immortal. Laurie hurried over with an ice bag, water and aspirins. Methos thanked her as he took them. He sat with his hand holding the ice bag to his head and his other arm resting on his thigh. After he had said he was all right, Cliff left and went to go and look at the shot to see if it worked.  
  
Duncan leaned closer to Methos. Seeing that his head still hurt, Duncan tried to distract him. "I thought that guy was going to wet himself when you got up and headed towards him. Good thing he doesn't know who you are. He would have died on the spot or been forever bragging that he had cold cocked Death."  
  
"Shut up MacLeod!" Methos growled and took a light-hearted swing at him all the while with a big grin on his face. "As soon as this headache goes away, he's going to get a lesson in following instructions." Methos promised.  
  
Tina watched Duncan hover over Adam. She hadn't known they were friends. Duncan seemed to really be concerned with his friend's injury. Immortals were probably like that with their mortal friends she thought. She smiled when Adam laughed and took a swing at MacLeod. Tina was finding herself more comfortable with Immortals the more she watched Duncan MacLeod and saw how he acted with his mortal friends.  
  
  
When his head stopped throbbing, Methos tossed the ice pack onto a table and went in search of Cliff. Duncan followed on his heels, curious to see if Methos was over his irritation. The speed in which Methos had calmed down had surprised Duncan. Either Methos was plotting revenge or that vacation in Hawaii had really helped.  
  
When Methos found Cliff, he reviewed the Take. Cliff thought they had good footage of the rush to the castle but wanted more of the close ups again. Methos shrugged and was driven down to the field. Duncan watched Methos, hoping he wouldn't have to go down there to protect Roger.  
  
Methos got his Stuntmen back into their places and beckoned Roger over. Roger came very hesitantly. Methos pointed to his mark and Roger went there and stood. "Now, from the mark we move through the steps ending with the final blow. You got that Roger? No shield! Now let's try it slowly to make sure we've got it then we'll roll."  
  
This walk-through Roger didn't throw his shield arm. At a nod from Methos, Cliff called the set to ready. At ACTION Methos stepped up into attack mode and Roger deflected his swing, they exchanged several blows in a frenzied attack. This time when Roger pulled his shield arm to swing with it, Methos was ready.  
He blocked the shield with his arm and rapped Roger in the gut, not enough to injure him, but enough to let him know that he could have.  
  
Roger doubled over from the gut jab he got from Adam. Roger had been nervous after having hit him the first time, this time he was terrified, especially after the glare he got from Adam. The glare was intense, almost inhuman and it scared him. Roger carefully stuck to the rest of the routine and made sure he didn't put an arm or leg out of place. At the end of the routine, Roger put his sword out and Adam stepped forward and tucked it under his arm. Making a dramatic motion, Adam fell to the ground in his death scene.  
Cliff yelled CUT! And turned aside to check the Take. After a few minutes, Cliff shouted to the crew, "It's a wrap. Break this set down and start setting up for the castle scene.  
  
Methos walked over and caught one of the horses that was grazing, and mounted. He collected the reins of several others and rode towards Duncan. He stopped in front of MacLeod. "Hey MacLeod, help me wrangle these back to the trailer." Duncan nodded and mounted the nearest horse. Moving closer to the mounted Methos, he took the reins of two horses and they turned towards the parking lot where the horse trailers waited.   
  
Tina skirted the edge of the field to keep them in sight. As they rode towards the trailers, she could see that they were talking and joking with each other. When they arrived at the horse trailers, the wrangler took the horses and tied them to the trailers. Adam and Duncan were walking back when something caught their attention and both men stopped. Tina looked around to see what they were looking at. A man in a long coat approached the two men. "Oh shit!" Tina said and ran to get closer. Was this an Immortal challenge? She was too far away to hear what they were saying. She pulled out her cell phone as she ran and dialed the speed dial button that was Joe.  
  
"Joe! We're at the movie set and there's an Immortal here. It looks like he's challenging MacLeod!"  
  
"Calm down Tina and tell me what you see." Joe said calmly.  
*****  
"That's an unusual disguise Methos, draw your sword!" the Immortal said commenting on Methos' barbaric costume of furs.  
  
"Go away youngling. You have the wrong guy." Methos said with just a glare.  
  
"I know who you are, don't pull that bull shit on me!" The Immortal said getting angry.  
  
"Go away. This place is too crowded and this sword is just a prop." Methos said.  
  
"I don't mind, you've just made it easier for me." The Immortal stepped closer.  
  
Duncan MacLeod pulled his sword.  
  
"The challenge wasn't for you." The younger Immortal said with only a glance at the Highlander.  
  
"He refused the Challenge. He's not even armed. But I am, leave now and I'll let you live." Duncan stared coldly at the foolish Immortal.  
  
"I'm not challenging you Highlander, I want the old coward."  
  
"Bugger off!" Methos said continuing the walk back to the movie set. MacLeod stood in a ready stance until the other Immortal backed off.  
  
"This isn't over yet Methos."  
  
"It had better be." Duncan said. Sure that the other Immortal was leaving, Duncan hurried to catch up to Methos.  
  
Methos was pissed! He went to the costume trailer and changed out of his costume and put on his street clothes including his long coat and sword. He was still in a black mood when Duncan found him in the food tent.   
  
Methos wasn't talking but Duncan could tell by the scowl on his face that he was angry over being challenged.  
  
In the food tent Methos got a cup of coffee and sat silently reviewing his options. Option one; run. Running sounds good but I just got back and I like this job. Not that one then. Option two; ignore the fool. If I don't kill the youngling he'll keep coming back and that means MacLeod will keep hanging around or someone will get hurt. Or the Scot will get it into his head that he has to sneak off and take care of it himself, can't have him fighting my battles or he'll think he can do that all the time! Not that one either then. Option three; take the youngling's head. If I kill the youngling he's out of my hair. But I can't be seen doing it. I'll have to coax him away to deal with him, but where? Where will he be watching and waiting? We were coming back from the field so he probably has a view of it, that means he came in somewhere near the back gate for the big trucks.  
  
Looking at his watch he reviewed his time frames, they would be doing a walk-through on the set in three hours. That meant he'd better distract the Highlander so he could be back in time.  
  
Schooling his face and emotions into a more calm and placid one, Methos finally looked up at Duncan, "Did we scare your Watcher off?" Duncan looked around noticing for the first time that she was gone. "She seemed afraid of Quickenings, maybe you should go see if she's okay."  
  
Methos smiled when Duncan took the bait and went in search of his Watcher. All too easy he thought. Getting up, Methos headed in the direction he and MacLeod had seen the Immortal take. He wandered around for half an hour until he felt the buzz of another Immortal. Since they were in the currently unused area of the studio, Methos found the Immortal instead of leading him off to a secluded spot.   
  
When they stood facing each other Methos said, "What can I say to convince you to go away?"  
  
"That you're going to kneel down and let me take your head without a fight." The Immortal said sarcastically.  
  
"This is your last chance, this is a real sword this time. Are you sure you won't change your mind?" Methos said lightly.  
  
"Shut up and fight you coward!"  
  
"Okay I warned you, but just because I don't like to fight doesn't mean I can't." Methos said, shrugging off his long coat he moved into a ready stance.  
  
The youngling lunged towards Methos over reaching. Too anxious to end it Methos thought. Although the youngling was better schooled then the mortal sword master had been, he wasn't much of a challenge for someone who had been doing this for centuries and most recently, sparring with the Highlander who was one of the best swordsmen. Methos blocked his blows and let the youngling tire himself out before he easily disarmed him and to keep him down, stabbed him in the stomach. Taking the youngling's hair in his fist Methos asked, "If you want to keep your head, tell me how you knew about me."  
  
"Screw you!" The Immortal growled in pain.  
  
"I'm quite willing to trade, your head for the answer."  
  
"Screw you!  
  
"No thanks, that will start nasty rumors." Methos swung his sword and took the head. Before the Quickening began, he scanned the area for the Immortal's Watcher. Not seeing one, he made up his mind to hack into the Watcher database before returning to the set.   
  
Duncan felt the faint echoes of a Quickening discharge and rushed out to look for the telltale light show. He had found his Watcher and returned to the tent only to find Methos gone. Realizing too late that he had been sent away intentionally. Duncan was angry with Methos.   
  
The Quickening was short and small. This had been a very young Immortal, around Richie's age in Immortal years. Methos was wondering who was teaching these idiot younglings. In his day, they taught the young ones to run until they were a couple of centuries old. Now they seemed to encourage them to go right out and take some heads. Methos dragged the body over to a dumpster. Going back for the head he tossed it in after the body and covered it with a tarp that had been covering some lumber. Making sure that no one had seen him, Methos picked up his coat and headed for the trailer where he stored his stuff.  
  
Methos kept his eyes opened for MacLeod who was sure to have figured out that he had been distracted. Inside the trailer he opened his laptop and hacked into the Watcher database. (Thank you Jarod!)  
  
As he had thought, the Youngling had been Immortal for less than ten years. He hadn't even been assigned a Watcher yet. He had been trained by an older Immortal by the name of Charles Auckland, an Englishman who was nearly a thousand years old. Auckland didn't leave his estates in England often, but over the centuries he had taken several students. In the last hundred years he'd increased his headcount, those of his own students.   
  
Looking at the student's head counts, Auckland's plan was clear. He took new students, put them into the Game as headhunters then took their heads when they'd taken a number of heads. He collected the power of the Quickening without having to risk getting them himself. He was obviously not afraid of any of his students besting him. Methos send an email off to Joe.  
  
Check into chronicles of Charles Auckland. Start with his Watcher...  
  
Putting the laptop away, Methos headed towards the set where they would be doing the afternoon taping.   
  
Duncan was worried when he couldn't find Methos. He called Joe. "Joe, what new Immortals are in town?"  
  
"Is this about the challenge Tina said you had?"  
  
"He wasn't after me, he was after Methos. He knew who he was and where to find him. Methos tricked me into looking for Tina and disappeared. I haven't been able to find him in several hours and I felt a Quickening."   
  
"Not good. I'll check the database and call you back. Keep looking Mac." Joe hung up with a worried "Damn!"  
  
Duncan went to find Laurie to see if she knew where Adam might be. Laurie hadn't seen him since the battle scene. Roger had needed her to bring him the medic, a real wimp she snorted. She said, "they'll be taping on Lot 8 in an hour, maybe he went there." Duncan got directions and hurried off.  
  
Methos was walking the sound stage, mentally staging the fight scenes before the Stuntmen arrived. He was counting the steps Roger's stand in would need to reach the top when Duncan found him.   
  
"Where the hell have you been?"  
  
"Do you want my life history or just the past week?" Methos sniped. "Where do you think I've been? I'm working MacLeod, what do you want?"  
  
"I felt a Quickening and you weren't anywhere to be found."  
  
"But you found me, I'm right here. Stand here would you MacLeod?" Methos pointed to a spot marked on the floor.   
  
Mac did as he was told. "If you didn't take a Quickening, then who did?"  
  
"Maybe you should go find out... Take a step to your left, yes stop there." Methos went through an attack routine and stopped facing MacLeod. "That's better." He said to himself. He pulled up the tape mark from the floor and put it at Duncan's feet.  
  
"Aren't you worried?" Duncan asked suspicious.  
  
"Do we have to do this now? I need to work this out before the others get here."  
  
"Methos!" Duncan warned.  
  
With an irritated sigh and glare at MacLeod, Methos said. "I'm not worried MacLeod. I took the younglings head. I gave him several chances but he didn't take them." At Duncan's angry look Methos elaborated. "But I did find out that it was his teacher that's been sending these younglings after me. His Watcher is one of the ones being monitored by the Watcher Internal Affairs department. He trains them, sends them out into the world to hunt heads, then takes their heads when they come back."  
  
Duncan's anger eased from his face to be replaced by worry. "How many students has he killed?"  
  
"I believe he's up to ten now." Methos knew that bit of information would distract the Highlander. It was a mean trick but he didn't want to explain himself to the Highlander. He also knew that Duncan would be upset, and that would drive Joe to fix the Watcher access to the database faster. Because despite the steps they had taken, Charles Auckland's Watcher could only have gotten his current location from his chronicle.  
  
Duncan left, needing to talk to Joe about this Auckland Bastard.  
  
**************************  
  
Later, in the walk-through of the next scene, Cliff wanted to have Roger and Lynette run to an arched doorway and struggle at the top of the stairs. Lynette would break free and run down the stairs. On hearing this Methos was worried that the twit would injure her or in the scuffle, push her down the stairs. He asked Cliff to put an air bag below the stairs.   
  
Lynette and Roger overheard the conversation and protested that they were professionals and didn't want to hold up the shooting. Cliff didn't want to be delayed either, but trusting Adam he gave him half an hour to rig something. Methos called over a set man and told him to get canvas and air brush it to look like part of the castle. He showed him where to suspend it to cover the air bag. As the crewman turned to go he left with an enthusiastic, "Yes boss!"  
  
Methos shook his head in humor, since when did he become 'Boss'? Calling for a different crewman, he sent for an airbag. In the half an hour he had specified, the airbag was set below the stairs and the canvas was stretched across the set making the airbag invisible.  
  
Cliff called ACTION and Lynette ran out onto the head of the stairs in her skimpy outfit. Roger wearing rugged barbarian leather and furs, closely followed Lynette. Roger caught her and she began kicking and beating on him trying to escape. She kicked his leg and turned to run down the stairs. As she turned, Roger made an unscripted grab for her and pushed her instead. To the horror of everyone, she lost her balance and fell off the stairs - directly onto the airbag Adam had insisted on. Cliff looked at Adam in amazement before they all rushed to the airbag. Lynette was quickly helped off the bag and she glared at Roger. "You idiot!" Cliff and Methos stood to either side of her and confirmed that she was okay.  
  
Realizing that she was uninjured because of Adam's precautions, Lynette wrapped her arms around Adam's neck and gave him a long and passionate kiss. Methos looked at Cliff and shrugged his shoulders before kissing her back. When she finally ended the kiss, she purred at him, "there's more where that came from. You saved me from being hurt and now I want to repay you. Can I invite you to dinner tonight?" Methos accepted with a smile.  
  
Still batting her eyes at Adam, Lynette said to Cliff, "I need half an hour to touch up my make up and hair." Cliff nodded. As she walked off she blew a kiss at Adam. Adam chuckled and caught Cliff's look.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Careful or I'll start to think you're clairvoyant!"  
  
"No, I've just figured Roger out. He's a danger to everyone around him."  
  
Looking at the very attractive rear end that was disappearing from their view, Cliff added. "Don't keep her up too late, we have a Take at ten." With a leering waggle of his eyebrows, Cliff went back to his chair and looked at the script.  
  
******************  
Methos lay on his stomach with his arm thrown over Lynette's stomach when he felt an Immortal buzz. Recognizing MacLeod's buzz, he shifted his position and pulled his sword out and moved it into a hidden but ready position. When Mac knocked, Methos shouted, "Come in Mac." Mac came in and stopped at the sight of the naked Immortal and woman. Several emotions crossed his face but he finally settled on irritation.  
  
"You didn't!"  
  
"Didn't what?"  
  
"Didn't sleep with that woman!"  
  
"Why? Was I supposed to be saving myself for you? I didn't know you felt that way MacLeod." At Mac's stuttering Methos quit teasing. "Of course I bloody well did. I had a very bad day and Lynette offered to kiss it and make it better."  
  
"Why would you take a chance like that? I should take your head right now to teach you a lesson. I could have been anyone and you would have been..." he gestured towards Methos on the bed unwilling to elaborate more than he had.  
  
In the blink of an eye, Methos leaped from the bed and was leaning into MacLeod with the blade of his sword across Mac's neck. "Oh really?"   
  
Mac swallowed hard and backed off. Methos had not looked ready for any kind of defense!  
  
Methos glanced at the still sleeping woman. When it was obvious that she was still deeply asleep, Methos shouldered his sword. "If you didn't come over to join in, what did you come for?"  
  
"Joe was worried, and after seeing this I can see why."  
  
"Everyday I beat my own previous record, for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive. Mac I'm old not dead."   
  
"But it's not like you."  
  
"What? Living instead of just surviving? Give me a break!"  
  
With an eye on MacLeod, Methos set his sword down and slipped on his pants. Shouldering his sword again, he walked into the kitchen followed by MacLeod. "What's really bothering you?" Methos asked seriously.  
  
"It's sleeping around, the Quickening, taking this job, why are you taking so many risks? Are you trying to lose your head?"  
  
Methos sighed and rubbed his face then leaned against the counter. "MacLeod, I've been and done most everything. But I haven't worked on a movie before. It's something new and different. Can't you understand why I need that?"  
  
"Part of me does, but part of me wonders why you're taking these risks. You've always been so well, invisible."  
  
Counting to ten to calm down Methos continued. "Back there in Paris, I let you find me MacLeod. I was bored with hiding. Darius and Joe had only good things to say about you, and Kalas looking for me was really a strong motivator." He added, "but just because I let you into my life doesn't mean I'm going to let you control it. I've been taking care of myself for a long time now."  
  
"Can't I..."  
  
"NO! And I mean it!" Methos cut him off.  
  
"You're too important to lose Methos." Mac tried to reason with Methos.  
  
"Well I'm losing myself. There are things that I need to do to stay me. I'm trying to re-capture my passion. I'm tired of just surviving."  
  
Mac nodded. This he understood. Just as he had to fight to uphold his honor, Methos had to do the things that had made him the clever, boyish, scheming, eternal Immortal that he and Joe were so afraid of losing.  
"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to promise not to care."  
  
Relieved, Methos smiled. "I'm not asking you to. If I give away the Ivanhoe, you can ask me if I'm loosing my mind, but for now, I have to get ready for work. Today I'm supposed to show that twit Roger how to scale the castle wall."  
  
MacLeod laughed at the wicked grin on Methos' face.  
  
********************  
  
Methos and Duncan walked into the cool comfort of Joe's Place. Methos spotted Amy seated at a table with Tina and Joe. He headed directly for her and when she stood, he hugged her. "I missed you!" He spoke softly in her ear.  
  
"I've missed you too! Where the hell have you been? You've been back for a while and you never even called."  
  
"I thought you were avoiding me."  
  
"Not in this lifetime, don't do that to me again." She hugged him tightly and stepped back still holding him. "What's this? Almost four years in eastern Washington, nearly two weeks in Hawaii and you're not even tanned?"   
  
Methos laughed and hugged her again. "One of the few things I can't do, but not for lack of trying."  
  
Amy laughed and pulled a chair next to the one she had been sitting in. Methos mocked a pleading look at the bar and Amy laughed again. "Go ahead, I know you won't say a word until you have one in your hand."  
  
Methos grinned and went to the bar. Duncan sat down next to Joe. "Grab me one too will you?"  
  
Methos grabbed one for Duncan and returned. He handed it to Duncan and sprawled in the chair next to Amy. Tina squirmed in her chair and looked nervous.   
  
"How goes the movie Adam?" Joe asked grinning. "I hear you've had some headaches."  
  
"Very funny. We should be wrapping it up in a month. Then they'll put it all together and see what they have to re-shoot. We have to stick around until Cliff gives us a thumbs up."  
  
"What about you? Are you going to stick around after that?" Joe asked.  
  
Methos smiled. "I'm still making up my mind."  
  
Joe cleared his throat and looked over at Duncan. "Mac can I see you for a moment, in my office."  
Duncan looked confused but stood and followed Joe.  
  
When Duncan closed the door of Joe's office, Joe called him over to the computer. "I've been checking on this Immortal guy that's been sending students after Methos, Charles Auckland..."  
  
Tina watched Duncan and Joe leave the room. She sighed. "I get so nervous when he's around."  
  
Methos grinned, "Tina thinks MacLeod is a comic book hero or is it the lust after the Quickening that has you all excited?"   
  
Tina blushed and took a swing at Methos from across the table. "Will you quit telling my secrets?"  
  
Methos laughed. Amy looked over at him surprised. Tina tried to shift the attention off her hero complex to something else. "At least he doesn't make me nervous like the others do."  
  
"Why do they make you nervous?" Amy asked.  
  
Methos just shook his head. This youngling should never have been allowed in the field. He'd have to mention to Joe that Watchers should have to pass a psych evaluation before being allowed in the field!  
  
"You mean you didn't tell everyone that too?" Tina looked at Methos before continuing. "I get nervous with just the thought of seeing another Immortal. When I saw the one that challenged Duncan at the studio, it was all I could do to call Joe. He had to tell me what to do."  
  
"But why, you've met Duncan, you know what kind of a man he is, why wouldn't you believe that other Immortals could be like that?" Amy asked.  
  
Tina looked down at her hands embarrassed. "The other Watchers at the academy told me stories and I'm having trouble getting past that."  
  
"What if you met another Immortal, one that didn't make you nervous or scare you?" Methos said quietly.  
  
"I don't know." Tina shrugged. "I've seen two others besides Duncan, and one of them was headhunting."  
  
"What if this Immortal was so average looking you could sit down and have a drink with them and never even know they were Immortal. Just an everyday kind of person."  
  
"Oh I think I'd know they were Immortal, they have a magnetism. You can always tell an Immortal up close." Tina said with conviction.  
  
Methos laughed and said, "Immortals can feel other Immortals, mortals don't feel anything at all."  
  
Amy smiled. "They've been filling your head with nonsense."  
  
"But Duncan makes the hair on my arms stand up..." Tina argued.  
  
Methos burst out laughing and leaned back in his chair.  
  
"I know the feeling." Amy said. "But it doesn't have anything to do with them being Immortal, only men. Kind, good, brave and good looking." Amy looked at Methos with that light in her eyes.  
  
Pain crossed Methos' face for just a second. Had the four years he'd been gone made any difference to Amy? Was she still waiting for him to change his mind? Methos just teased, "Darn, I rather liked the animal magnetism theory better."  
  
Tina looked in surprise at them. "Are you guys seeing each other?"  
  
Taking a risk in the hopes of putting her at ease, Methos said, "Amy was my Watcher. You've been hanging out and having a beer with an Immortal."  
  
Tina stared at him in shock. "You're kidding right?"   
  
Methos shook his head. "The Watchers expelled me when they found out about me. You've been listening to the wrong stories at the academy. My scandal was pretty big news."  
  
"But you're so..."  
  
"Human?" Methos finished.  
  
"I was going to say, irritating, vain, stuck up...and human." Tina said smiling.  
  
"Are you feeling better about Immortals yet?" Amy asked really hoping that Methos had not put himself at risk.  
  
"Incredibly embarrassed but a lot better." Tina said blushing. "Now I'll be wondering what they told me there that was the truth."  
  
************************  
  
A week later, Tina was sitting in the Library at Watcher headquarters reading Charles Auckland's chronicles. Joe had sent her to ask Broots to quietly monitor Charles Auckland and report everything to Joe. She thought as long as she was there, she would read up on his chronicles since that data had not been transcribed into the database yet. With all the attention on this Immortal, it wouldn't hurt to have his background fresh in her mind.  
  
She sighed and started into her fourth chronicle when a small woman with dark hair approached her.  
  
"Are you Tina Prescott Duncan MacLeod's Watcher?" the woman asked.  
  
"Yes, and you are?"  
  
"Amy Zoll. I'm the head researcher on the Methos project."  
  
"Isn't that the project that Adam Pierson was on before he left?"  
  
"Yes, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. In MacLeod's chronicle you said that MacLeod was challenged while visiting a friend named Adam?"  
  
"Yes, he was visiting Adam Pierson, do you know him?"  
  
"Damn him! Snuck back into town and no one knew!"  
  
"Who? Adam? He's been in town for a while." Lowering her voice she added, "I didn't know he was Immortal, he told me that last night."  
  
Amy Zoll exploded again. "You talked to him last night?"  
  
Tina nodded. "At Joe's place."  
  
"Joe knew! He knew and he didn't tell me?"  
  
Coming to Joe's defense Tina said, "Why would he tell you? You're the Methos researcher."  
  
Looking at Tina in amazement, Amy Zoll finally said, "Adam Pierson IS Methos."  
  
***********************  
  
Amy Zoll vented her anger directly on Joe. Leaving Watcher headquarters, she had driven right over to ask Joe why she had not been informed that Methos was back. Joe let her vent then handed her a cup of coffee. "You have every right to be angry Dr. Zoll. I'm sorry but that's what Methos demanded, and this time the tribunal agreed with him. Since I exposed him, he's been hunted down and harassed by headhunters, who know who he is and where to find him. Thanks to their Watchers. Unless we want him disappearing on us, the tribunal thought we needed to humor him."  
  
"But I'm suppose to know what he's doing. I'm in charge of his chronicle!"   
  
"I've been keeping his chronicle like I did before anyone knew who he was." Joe tried to pacify her.  
  
He reached under the bar and pulled out a chronicle. "His record can't be on line Amy. We'll get him killed. We had to keep you out of the loop so that none of the Watchers leaking information would suspect that we knew where he was."  
  
As if he had timed it, Methos choose that moment to walk into the bar. Seeing Amy Zoll, Methos scowled and stopped.  
  
Still angry Amy Zoll snapped at him, "Oh don't worry, I was the last to know!"  
  
Methos snarled back, "Obviously, or I wouldn't have had to take that younglings head the other day."  
  
Joe tapped the chronicle for Amy. Methos noticed it and said, "I don't really need to have a Watcher anyways. I'm already surround by mother hens, aren't I Joe?"  
  
"Can I get you a beer Methos?" Joe hoped to get Methos calmed down and talking to Amy instead of arguing.  
  
"No, I was just looking for MacLeod." Without another word, Methos left the bar.  
  
Joe looked at Amy Zoll and said, "Well that went badly."  
  
****************  
  
On the set, Methos lounged in the window to the tower bedroom, waiting for Roger to show. They'd been waiting fifteen minutes for Roger to appear. Looking at his watch Cliff said to Laurie, "Go find Roger and drag his sorry ass down here!" Laurie smiled, happy to be offered the option of bodily harming Roger.  
  
Lynette yawned and looked bored. Feeling his momentum grinding to a halt, Cliff needed to keep people moving in the same direction. Deciding to do a walk-through without Roger, Cliff said, "OK folks, listen up. We're going to do a walk-through. Lynette you play off Adam until Roger gets here. Adam get off that window, you know the marks better than Roger. Places everyone, No roll on this one."  
  
Cliff stepped back to his spot beside the camera and sat in his chair. "Okay Adam, walk it through."   
  
Grumbling under his breath, Methos stepped from the window and went to Roger's mark. That twit was going to owe him big time for this.  
  
Adam stood on Roger's mark and moved where Roger was suppose to move, but Lynette wasn't playing off him well. She was going to need a little more help from Adam. Cliff said, "Hold up folks. It's not working." Walking over to Lynette he said, "Lynette, get into your role. You're a princess! You're thinking you're safe in your room. This man has climbed up here to get to you. He is everything you want a man to be, strong, virile, fearsome. You want him but you're afraid of him. He is your every fantasy but he's also the enemy of your people. I want to see fear and lust in everything." Lynette nodded and turned to her mark to focus herself.   
  
Then Cliff went over to Adam and said, "Adam, give her a little more help here. This movie will make or break her. She's on the verge of being a 'has-been'. She needs to be motivated for this scene. I need you to make her afraid but lust for you." Whispering to Adam he added, "She told her make up girl that you rocked her socks off the other night. I need you to tap into that and make her melt out of that dress. Now go get her."   
  
Adam glared at Cliff. "I'm not an actor! I do ancient languages, I do swords and I even ride horses, but I am not an actor."  
  
"I'm not asking you to be, just warm her up for Roger."  
  
Still grumbling and glaring at Cliff, Adam stepped back up to Roger's mark. He closed his eyes and thought about what this meant to Lynette. She had joked that this movie could be her last chance. Hollywood was all about youth and beauty, and she was afraid that she was considered too old for these roles. Too old at the ripe old age of twenty-five. If she needed this then he would help.   
  
When Cliff spoke, "Places everyone, No roll on this one." Methos became the Horseman but without the rage. Stepping away from the window he stealthily moved across the room to where the Princess stood by her bed. Her fear grew at the intensity in his eyes. His eyes were deadly but his body promised passion. He moved like a predator, slowly stalking her with his eyes and his body.   
  
She stepped back, bringing a hand to her mouth to stifle a scream. In a flash he was at her side and had her by her shoulders. Towering over her he growled down at her, "They could hide you in the depths of a mountain and still they could not keep me away from you. You are mine." Her eyes spoke her fear while her breath came in gasps, her lips parted as she felt the power and electricity that was Him. He released his hold on her shoulders and moved slowly around her. Keeping his body in contact with hers he slid his fingertips over her skin as he moved.  
  
His fingertips moved from her shoulder where he had first touched her, lightly across her collarbone, dipping with the mounds of her breasts as they slid into and out of the valley between them. Up and over the other collarbone and stopping on her shoulder, her head following the movements of his hand. She shivered at his touch. He snaked his head down and nipped at the other shoulder, his teeth lightly grazing her skin. When she turned her head to look at him in surprise, he captured her lips in a feather light kiss. As she leaned into the kiss and the electricity of his touch, he ended the kiss and crossed in front of her still trailing his hand. He stopped when he faced her and trailed his fingertips slowly up and down the valley of her breasts feeling her heart beat faster. When her breath became pants, his fingers lightly moved up her neck and stroked the swanlike thinness of it. He lingered over her artery, heating her entire body with his electricity. With his hands he could snap her small neck. She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand, giving him control of her life or death. Sliding his hand up and lightly across her cheek, he traced her opened and waiting lips. When she moaned he slid his hand behind her head and captured her lips with his own, gentle at first, then more demanding. He pulled her body into his and she melted into his embrace.  
  
Cliff shouted, "Yes! That is exactly what I want!"  
  
Lynette and Methos enjoyed the kiss for a moment more before he dropped his arms and smiled at Lynette. He gave her a whispered growl and stepped away struggling to become 'Adam Pierson' again.  
  
The entire cast clapped and whistled at what they had seen. They had been so wrapped up in the scene it was almost real! Laurie fanned herself with her clipboard. The recently arrived Roger just stood there with his jaw hanging. Adam quickly stepped up to Cliff and hissed, "Don't ask me to do that again!"   
  
Cliff followed Adam as he stepped away. Quietly he said, "That was amazing Adam! If that's at all a reflection of what you can do, I can make you into a star!"  
  
"I don't do acting Cliff now drop it!" Methos growled still struggling to get 'Adam' back.  
  
"We'll talk later..." Cliff said and went back to his chair by the cameras. Calling the crew back to order, he got them back in their places and ready to tape. Cliff thought to himself, that he should have been rolling the tape for that Take. He really didn't think Roger could pull off anything half as good as that!  
  
Laurie had followed them, and now stood and stared at Adam's back. She could tell he was collecting his thoughts. When his shoulders squared again, she approached. "You continually amaze me Adam. That scene was incredible. Roger will have a tough act to follow, and he isn't that good to begin with."  
  
Adam smiled at her. "It was embarrassing. A little too much the center of attention for me."  
  
"You weren't acting, you were feeling." Moving closer she continued in a quieter voice. "Lynette asked me about you, after the night you had together. You made her feel beautiful. She said she felt better about herself after that evening better than she had in a long time. Judging by her face, you just made her feel that way again."   
  
Smiling and putting her hand on his arm she said sincerely, "you do that for people. You let us find things that we didn't know we had inside. I thought I could only be a secretary. This is the most fun, and the most useful I have felt in years. Cliff says this film is his best work yet. Now Lynette will demand a outstanding performance from Roger and who knows, it might be his best work, thanks to you."  
  
At his uncomfortable and surprised look Laurie said as she walked off, "and Damn, I need a cold shower now!" That made Methos laugh and he shook off the mood he was drifting into. Since his real job had been done before he had done the walk-through with Lynette, Methos walked to the food tent and grabbed some coffee.  
************************  
  
The next day Duncan, Amy and Joe turned up to watch the taping. The scene for the day was an escape from the castle. Roger would escape from his enemies, and on his way out grab Lynette. The close ups would have Roger tied and bound. He would break free with the help of his men. They would fight their way out and ride away with Lynette as a prisoner. It would actually be the stunt double doing the fighting and riding off.   
  
Methos had carefully choreographed this scene but after the tower love scene, he was staying off camera. After he got everyone on his or her marks and ready to go, he went to stand beside his friends that he had noticed arriving thanks to the Immortal buzz he felt.  
  
Seeing Methos in street clothes, Duncan was curious. "How come you're not in costume today?"  
  
Wanting to tease him, Laurie spoke up before Adam could. "Adam's still mad at Cliff for making him do the love scene with Lynette yesterday. It's a good thing we weren't taping! That love scene was so hot it would have melted the tape!"  
  
Methos scowled at her and said, "Thanks Laurie, I wasn't sharing that on purpose."  
  
Laurie smiled and moved back to Cliff's side. All of them stared at Methos in surprise.  
  
"A love scene?" Duncan asked. "Come on, Give!" Duncan was remembering the morning he had surprised Methos and Lynette in bed. Had it been more than that one night?  
  
"With who?" Amy asked thinking jealous thoughts about him making love to someone else when he had not accepted her offer a few years ago. Even if it was just a movie.  
  
"No tape?" Joe asked disappointed. "Damn we should have come yesterday." Mac had mentioned Methos had been with someone that day he went to his house. Joe was thinking that if it were true, Methos had made love with several women in the past few months. Paul had said that he suspected that Methos and Mel had made love, but Mel would only smile and refuse to answer. If it was true, this was a good sign that Methos was starting to live again, not holding himself so aloft from the world around him.  
  
"Why Joe you Watchers really are Peeping Toms." Methos sneered.  
  
Cliff called ACTION and the scene went off smoothly. After Cliff yelled CUT and turned to watch the Take, conversation resumed. When Cliff yelled out that the Take was good and to set up for the close-ups, Lynette wandered towards Adam and his friends. Seeing another woman in the group, and noticing that she was standing almost proprietarily close to Adam, Lynette walked up to Adam and wrapped her arms around his waist.   
  
"Hello, I'm Lynette Lansing. I've seen you on the set before but I didn't catch your name." She asked of Duncan. "Or your friends."  
  
Adam introduced Duncan and the others. He noticed Amy giving Lynette a pretty cold stare. Irritated at both of them, he made an excuse to escape the chill and the questions about the love scene. "Got to go, Roger's getting ready for his close up and I don't want him hurting any of the stunt men. He tends to forget to follow my instructions unless I glare at him occasionally."  
  
He quickly disappeared. Lynette smiled knowingly at his rear end as he walked off and turned back to the group. "The man is amazing, truly amazing." With a little waggle of her fingers, she wandered off towards the food tent. Amy had a sinking feeling in her stomach, that it hadn't been just part of the movie.  
  
While Joe and Duncan watched the preparations for the close-ups, Amy went to find Laurie. "So is Lynette always that friendly?"   
  
Laurie looked at Amy carefully before answering. "You look familiar."  
  
"Adam and I've been friends for many years, I was in several of his classes at the University. Perhaps that's where you've seen me."  
  
Laurie nodded. Uncomfortable with the questions this woman was asking, Laurie gave her a vague answer. "Adam saved Lynette from a fall a few weeks ago." Gesturing towards Cliff, she moved away saying, "Gotta go, duty calls."  
  
Seeing Methos talking with a stunt man, Duncan wandered over and stood just behind him until Methos finished his conversation. Methos muttered under his breath when he felt MacLeod's buzz approaching.  
  
"So tell me, are you and Lynette a regular thing now? I knew I recognized those shoulders and legs even if this time they were mostly covered." Duncan teased hoping the ancient would be more forthcoming with news when it was just the two of them.  
  
"MacLeod, I don't quiz you about your late night company, mind your own business this time." He wanted the subject to die before Amy's feelings were hurt. He knew by the look she had given him at Joe's, that she still loved him.  
  
MacLeod tried a couple more times but Methos didn't even respond. Shrugging his shoulders, MacLeod wandered over to help the Wrangler hold horses.  
  
Joe was the next to approach him. Methos thought to himself that maybe he needed to go back down into the set just to be off limits to these pests. "Does this mean you'll be going down to California?"  
  
"Going to California? What on earth for?"  
  
"That's where Lynette calls home."  
  
Methos gave Joe a very cold and angry stare. "I have no intention of following Lynette anywhere. Mind your own business Joe."  
  
Joe put up his hands in a calming gesture and walked off.  
  
By the time Amy wandered up to where he stood, Methos was ready to behead someone. Not even waiting for her question, he looked around and seeing a private spot he escorted her to it. Standing with his arms crossed, he leaned against a rock wall and stared at Amy demanding with his eyes that she ask her question and get it over with.  
  
Seeing the anger in his eyes even if it wasn't in his body language, Amy asked the question anyways. "Did you make love to that woman?"  
  
"I'll only answer that if it doesn't go in my chronicle."  
  
Amy nodded.  
  
"Lynette and I had sex a week or so before I saw you again at Joe's. It was only one night, I'm not looking to repeat it and I won't be following her to her next movie. I don't count her among my friends and I'm sorry if it hurt you." He watched her eyes as he talked.  
  
He continued, "I know that you offered and I didn't take you up on it. Not because I didn't want to, but because it wouldn't have just been just sex to you. You don't have one-night stands, you have relationships. I'm not ready for a relationship, not then and not now."  
  
"It hurts me to think that you're giving yourself to women that don't care anything about you."  
  
"I don't want them to care about me, it would only be harder when I left."  
  
Methos saw Laurie coming his way and greeted her so Amy would know she was coming. "Are you looking for me Laurie?"  
  
"Cliff is looking for you, he's in his trailer." Laurie took in the scene at a glance. Apparently this Amy felt more than friendship for Adam. Laurie bit her lip suddenly very sorry that she had teased Adam about the love scene this morning in front of his friends. She hoped she hadn't jeopardized any relationships that Adam had over her teasing.   
  
"Can I meet you at the bar tonight?" Methos said. Amy nodded. Methos headed towards Cliff's trailer followed by Laurie.   
  
"I'm sorry Adam. I didn't mean to cause trouble." Laurie apologized.  
  
"It's okay Laurie. Amy and I had this conversation several years ago. She'll come around, she's a pretty special woman."  
  
She really hoped so, Laurie was thinking to herself. Adam deserved to have someone really special in his life. She would be flirting with him herself if she wasn't married, but she did have a really special sister. I wonder...  
  
Methos spent the next few hours with Cliff planning the last scenes to shoot. They were just about done with the filming and Cliff wanted to stay on schedule. After he left Cliff's trailer, Methos wandered down to the field and found a quiet spot. He stripped out of his shirt, shoes and socks and began his relaxation routine. He started his kata after that and when that was done he picked up his sword and moved into his sword routine. When he'd finished he was sweaty and exhausted. He had worked harder than normal to try and calm the chaos in his mind.   
  
He had just sat down and put his head in his hands when he felt an Immortal buzz. He leapt into a defense position before he recognized MacLeod. He relaxed his position and sat down.  
  
"Amy came back pretty upset. Joe told me that she had feelings for you. I didn't know." Methos just nodded.  
  
"You don't feel the same way." Duncan said softly. Methos shook his head.  
  
Duncan sat down beside him. "I don't know what to say but I'm sorry. I loved Tessa. I cared about Anne but she wasn't Tessa. We tried for something more but it just wasn't there. We keep in touch but it's better this way. She'll find someone that fits better into her life."  
  
"I can't be what Amy wants me to be, and if I hurt her I hurt Joe. I don't want to leave again but I think that's what I'll have to do for Amy's sake."  
  
"You'll have to let her decide. Friendships are harder to come by than relationships. I don't want you to go, and I know Joe won't. Knowing the kind of person that Amy is, I don't think she'd want to push you away from your friends because of the way she feels about you."  
  
Duncan put his hand on Methos shoulder. He didn't want Methos to disappear again. It would break Joe's heart if he ever found out why.  
  
That night Methos drove up to Joe's bar trying to come up with options. His mind kept coming back to his tried and true; fail safe option whenever unforeseen things surfaced, Run.  
  
Setting his face into a placid expression, Methos went into the bar.  
  
Methos felt Mac's buzz as he reached for the door. He walked inside and saw Duncan and Joe sitting near the stage. He saw Amy walking towards them with a wine cooler in her hand. She hadn't seen him yet. He ducked around the bar and grabbed a beer before joining them at the table.  
  
Duncan and Joe both knew that Methos and Amy needed to talk. Making their excuses, Joe took Duncan into the office to talk about something in the Watcher chronicles.  
  
Methos slid his chair closer to Amy and took her hand in his. At the look on her face, he wrapped his arm around her and hugged her. "Are we going to be okay Amy? Do you need me to leave?"  
  
Amy looked guilty upon hearing that. "Please don't leave Methos. We'll be okay. I was just jealous and it confused me. I've missed you so much, and the thought of that woman having a part of you that I'll never have, brought out the worst in me. I won't make you choose between your life here and me. There's room enough for all of us." She put her hand gently on his cheek. "I love you, if you change your mind, can I be at the top of your list?"  
  
"If I make a list, you'll be on it. I promise." Careful with his phrasing of the promise, Methos smiled. "Cliff's asked me to go to Vancouver to help him with the Editing. I'll be gone a couple of months but I'll be back." He stayed long enough to finish his beer, then left.  
  
************  
Methos and Cliff got out of Laurie's car and pulled their luggage from the trunk of the Camry. Waving goodbye, they resumed their conversation. "But why don't you want screen credit? I have to give it to you or the Unions will be all over me."  
  
Methos shook his head. "Cliff, I'm a Professor of Ancient Studies, having a Hollywood movie on my resume' isn't going to look good."  
  
"But Adam, I have to!" This continued while their luggage was taken and they got their tickets. "Why are you bringing that sword?" Cliff said temporarily distracted.  
  
"I have a friend in Vancouver that's going to appraise it for me." Methos said. Cliff just nodded.  
  
Seeing a coffee stand, Methos headed for it with Cliff on his heels. As they stood in line Methos said with a sly smile, "All right, you can give me film credit but only under the name of Adam Wolfe. I've written under that name before." The airport had reminded him of the last name he had used when he had passed through this airport.   
  
"Adam Wolfe?" Cliff asked confused.  
  
"Yes, it's a family name. It's that or nothing." Methos threatened.  
  
"If those are my only choices."   
  
"Adam?" Adam heard a familiar voice. He turned to see Lisa Weiss, the woman he had met while vacationing in Hawaii.   
  
"Maybe I am clairvoyant." He muttered. He set down his carry-on bag and gave Lisa a hug. "Lisa you look fantastic!" And she did. There was a sparkle in her eyes that hadn't been there when they'd parted in Hawaii. Noticing her arm was out of the cast he asked, "May I?" he said gesturing at her bare arm.  
  
She smiled and offered him her arm. He quickly and gently felt the length of it and nodded satisfied that it had healed correctly. Taking her hand he kissed it gallantly. "Sorry, its the doctor in me," he explained. She chuckled.  
  
Noticing two women standing a step back and watching them with surprised expressions, Methos smiled.  
  
Lisa said, "Oh I'm sorry. These are my friends and coworkers, Vicky and Connie. The company we work for is sending us to San Jose for a training class."   
  
Methos shook hands with both of them. "Adam is the doctor I told you about. He took good care of me after I hurt myself on the plane."  
  
Cliff joined them holding two cups of coffee. Methos introduced him to the group. "Ladies, this is a college buddy of mine, Cliff.  
  
"Are you coming or going?" Lisa asked indicating the luggage.   
  
"Going actually. Cliff's been working on a movie and we're heading to Vancouver to begin the Editing portion of it."  
  
"Oh really? What kind of movie?" She asked curious.  
  
Cliff answered in his salesman voice. "An action adventure starring Roger Valentine and Lynette Lansing. It's set in ancient Europe, that's where Adam's PhD in ancient studies was helpful. Lots of sword action. It's called Conqueror's Quest. Adam here is pretty good with a sword, and you should see him storming the castle!"  
  
"I'm not surprised." Lisa said giving Adam a knowing look.  
  
"He's in quite a few of the scenes, you'll have to watch it with him so he can point himself out. We were just arguing about film credit." Lisa's friends were giggling and whispering upon hearing who would be in the movie.  
  
"I gave in didn't I?" Adam said.  
  
Cliff nodded happily. "Speaking of giving in, we've got to get to our gate."  
  
Adam nodded. "I'll be in Vancouver a couple of months, can I take you to dinner when I get back?"  
  
Lisa nodded pleased that he wanted to see her again. Seeing the twinkle in her eyes as she agreed, Adam took her in his arms and kissed her. Cliff cleared his throat. "The plane..."  
  
Methos said putting a hand to her cheek. "Why don't you email me and I can call you from Vancouver." He smiled and waved as he picked up his carry-on bag. He and Cliff headed towards the shuttle that would take them to their loading gate.  
  
Cliff waggled his eyebrows at Adam. "What?" Adam scowled at him. "She broke her arm on the plane to Hawaii. I was the only one with any medical training. We went to a few Luaus while we were over there."  
  
"Right, whatever you say." Cliff smirked. Changing the subject he added, "Now that I know you have medical training, you can be the medic on the next movie too." He laughed at the scathing look Adam gave him.  
  
When Adam and Cliff headed for their plane, her friends quickly joined Lisa. "Oh my God! When you said you met a doctor on the plane we didn't know you knew him that well!"  
  
"He's so cute, and a doctor? I can't wait to see Molly's face when we tell her he was working with Roger Valentine on a movie! Molly will have kittens!"  
  
"He is much better looking in person, you are going to email him tonight aren't you?"   
  
"You must tell us everything, it's a long flight to San Jose!"  
  
  
The end for now....Watch for Broken Promise  
Death Goes to the Movies  
  
Fan fiction by wajag7/22/200227 of 27 


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